Now that I'm at work, once I've made a prediction, how do I deal with the negative effects from the dice?
And in the city, it's easy to slip up and expose problems. It's obvious that ever since the Round Table Conference, the activity level of the dice has been increasing. Li Xin held back his impulse.
As the end of the workday approached, Wu Gang, Dinar, and Fan Jia came out laughing, with expressions only men would understand on their faces.
"Ah Xin, you're still working this late. Wanna come along and, ah, see for yourself?" Wu Gang said with a wink and a nudge. "The big brothers will help you grow..."
Bang~~~
Wu Gang, Dinar, and Fan Jia were startled as a bullet skimmed past their heads. Carlo nonchalantly blew the smoke from the gun barrel, "Why not take me to such a good place?"
"Oh, Big Brother, we weren't doing anything shady... Don't, don't waste your bullets, we're leaving, bye bye bye~~"
The three brothers hurried out with arms around each other's shoulders, leaving Li Xin looking at the perpetually cold Carlo, "Big Brother, when will I get to go on a mission?"
Carlo looked at Li Xin indifferently, "You have a great future ahead, don't follow them down the wrong path. Keep up your training and mindset, and when the time is right, you'll naturally be informed. Missions are never in short supply for the Night Patrol."
With that, he strutted off, leaving Li Xin watching longingly. As he left, he could still hear the laughter of Wu Gang and the others, talking about where they're going tonight, whose hospitality was top-notch, and what shows were on today, with twisting and turning jumps...
Li Xin pursed his lips. He also wanted to relax a bit and relieve the stress of being a working man. Isn't a team supposed to be like a family? What happened to "no abandonment, no giving up"?
Liars!
Hmph, he didn't want to go at all!
Awakened individuals don't have a high need for sleep. If a mission requires it, staying up for several days and nights is no problem, but resting well is beneficial for one's Life Force.
In fact, the Church has conducted surveys showing that most Awakened have a life expectancy far shorter than normal people. Awakening Spiritual Ability means coming into contact with more dangerous worlds, significantly increasing the survival risk factor. Those who can resist curiosity and are willing to lie low are very rare. If they possess a Divine Relic, even more issues arise, and even if they weren't interested in contesting with the world, possessing the Relic makes them a target, not to mention the mere existence of a Divine Relic inherently doesn't allow for non-contestation.
In the following days, Carlo seemed to deliberately watch over Wu Gang and the others, not giving them a chance to help Li Xin "grow up." For Carlo's kindness, Li Xin was truly grateful, but he had to put on a smiling face.
Saturday afternoon after work, Li Xin called a carriage to go home. This week, he covered a shift for someone else, chatted with Old Mo, and received many gifts, which he had to bring home after a week of collecting.
Most gifts weren't expensive but were quite practical, all acknowledging that Li Xin had just moved into the city and needed to stock up on daily necessities.
Except Sister Casey, who, knowing Li Xin had a sister, Aunt Lira bought a lot of gifts little girls would like... Li Xin always felt she derived some kind of joy from giving gifts that he couldn't understand.
Kathy's taste is absolutely trustworthy. Unknowingly, it turned into large and small packages, after all, he couldn't refuse the joy it brought to others.
Carriages, the main mode of transportation in the Celestial Capital, were extremely comfortable to ride in for the first time. The carriage interior was spacious and didn't shake, and it was very clean, much more useful than Line 11. The fare was 90 Dinar, bargained down after a long time, a bit painful, but when he got off the carriage, possibly due to the intimidating Night Patrol uniform Li Xin wore, the driver even helped move the stuff down, being exceptionally polite.
Hearing the commotion outside, Xueyin came rushing out, practically leaping onto Li Xin.
"Ah Xin, wow, brother, did you bring something tasty?"
"Yes, and a lot of gifts too." Seeing Xueyin, the troubles suddenly vanished.
Lin Fei, with a smile on her face, also came out to the doorway. After moving to the city, Lin Fei was quickly regaining her lady-like demeanor, her complexion fair and rosy. Good mood indeed was the best skincare, though naturally, it was a gift. Her voluptuous figure was no longer concealed, like a ripe peach exuding enticing allure. You could say Sister Casey was a pseudo-debutante, but this was real.
If not for the intimidation from Li Xin's uniform, it seemed the driver wouldn't want to leave at all.
The three of them moved the various gifts inside. Seeing her own gifts made Xueyin cheer again and again. Ever since the move, she felt like she was living in paradise.
"Ah Xin, why did you collect so many expensive gifts? Wouldn't this affect you?" Lin Fei, still somewhat worried, knew that the Night Patrol's work danger came with power, and feared Li Xin might stray.
"Aunt Fei, it's not bribery, they're from Night Patrol seniors. I covered shifts for them and did some little tasks; Xueyin's gifts are from Sister Casey. She's the Little Rich Lady and wants to be my aunt, just consider it an advance payment." Li Xin laughed.
Knowing that Li Xin would return today, Lin Fei had prepared a large table full of delicacies; apart from beef, there was even a big lobster...
"Mom waited for it from morning till afternoon, finally waiting for it to croak and go on half-price." Xueyin swallowed her saliva beside.
Li Xin gave a thumbs up, his stomach growling, while Xueyin the little foodie looked as if her eyes would pop out and dive into the lobster.
Lin Fei smiled, "Focus on your work and this is to reward you. Don't worry too much about money, I found a suitable job and wanted to discuss it with you."
Li Xin peeled open the lobster, picked the most tender meat, and handed it to Xueyin, "Eat quickly, your drool is about to become a waterfall."
Xueyin immediately stuffed the succulent lobster meat into her mouth, crunching it adorably like a little pufferfish.
"What kind of job, do I need to do anything?" Li Xin knew Aunt Fei was once a wealthy heiress and quite knowledgeable, nothing abnormal about that; being able to adapt to the Underground City was indeed impressive.
He had also wanted to check into the Lin Family's situation through the Night Patrol, but the files were sealed, so he didn't have permission, and since Lin Fei hadn't brought it up, it wasn't appropriate to ask directly.
That night, he had an impression.
"You don't need to do anything, just whether we can freely use that gold card?" Lin Fei asked.
"Gold card? Oh, the one from Sister Casey, of course, we can. I remember it only has 1000 Lira inside. What does it have to do with work?"
"The Lira inside aren't essentially for spending but are tips," Lin Fei smiled, "The Treasure Workshop's gold card offers some scarcity and purchase eligibility for certain items, and priority for some in-demand items. With this card, I can help others purchase some things and earn a little fee for running errands."
Looking at Lin Fei, Li Xin gave a thumbs up, "Aunt Fei, you're amazing, coming up with this!"
"I surveyed over this week, and each income wouldn't be stable, but looking long-term, there's definitely a market. Once there's a certain client base, things will improve, and there's no competition."
Other gold card holders wouldn't do such things, and yet those without gold cards who have needs represent a large group, Lin Fei was very aware of the mindset of wealthy merchants, well understanding how obsessed affluent families were with keeping up appearances.
As she spoke, Lin Fei's eyes also shone. She never liked to sit aimlessly and merely make do for a living in the Underground City. But here, it seemed inappropriate. She didn't want to burden Li Xin with financial pressure.
At neighborhood gatherings, the women's discussions revolved around gossip, jewelry, clothing—either showing off or on the way to, and when it came to Treasure Street, she remembered the gold card and sensed a business opportunity.
Of course, she wouldn't flaunt the gold card, it wouldn't fit her persona, but saying she had a friend who could help made sense. The neighborhood was large; nobles wouldn't live nearby, but besides the family quarters for Night Patrol members, there were also many wealthy merchant families. Here, security was topped up, and knowing Lin Fei came from the family quarters with a good demeanor didn't make others doubt her ability.
Even with some ulterior motives, Lin Fei's experiences trumped those of women whose skills were limited to inner room politics. She tried two deals without charging any additional fees, giving ample face to others, focusing on marketing and cultivating a client base. Back when she patched things together in the Underground City, it was essentially the same principle, and now a basic reputation was built. Several families had already approached her. She, however, politely declined, leaving a door open to recruit later.
Including Xueyin, the pragmatic little financial enthusiasts of a family of three, Xueyin liked good food and pretty clothes. Her sweet, adorable demeanor sometimes could serve as a boost.
All three hit it off, and Li Xin found himself growing more fond of his imaginary aunt. Next week, he would have to actively matchmake her with Old Luo no matter what.
"Have you invited Captain Luo Jin over for a visit?" Lin Fei asked. In terms of etiquette and emotion, since Luo Jin had provided such significant help, an invitation was warranted. Not to mention, the life's well-being of the three, while hinging on Li Xin's abilities, also relied heavily on Luo Jin's recognition.
"I asked, but Old Luo is busy with things at the Canon Law School, said he'd come another time." Li Xin said.
"Did he tell you that?"
"Sister Casey told me."
Looking at Li Xin, Lin Fei paused for a moment, "Did something go wrong?"